The Zen Diarist

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Smile, and tap into your joy

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When we smile at someone, a genuine smile from the heart, we do more than just smile. There is a communication, of course – a communication of friendliness and perhaps understanding. Most say that love must be unconditional to really mean anything and the same must go with a smile, surely? And when we receive a smile from someone, does it not light us up in some way?

Smile and touch your essence

This world of ours is very technical and very materialistic. In a way there is good in this. Humanity has made major strides over the centuries to make life better – eradication of disease, improvement of hygiene, living conditions and so on. There is, some would also say, a curse with that. We have lost sight of our spirituality, our inner essence. If we are pleased to see someone, we smile without any thought. Our response is spontaneous. We don’t have to look it up on some database or search engine – we just smile and convey, dare I say it, love.

Let joy and universal law support you

For life to be worth living, it has to have joy in it. Joy springs from the heart, as does love. We may not have what we think we should have and others may have what we think is an unfair proportion of wealth. But if we think in that way, it is like pouring water on the fire in our heart. If we can simply be, smile and be grateful for whatever we have, however small, and without judgment of others, the quality of life – the internal quality that springs from deep within us – can manifest. Then the laws of the universe, the unseen support that comes from way beyond the realms of man’s little thinking, can be tapped and flourish in our own lives. And it all starts with a smile.

Related posts:

  1. Being happy: why we should choose to flick the switch
  2. Healing energy, the Universe and You
  3. Thoughts: Why we need to think less
  4. Happiness or joy – which is better?

Melting the ice: eliminating indifference

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melting iceThanks in part to pandemic restrictions, a source of enjoyment for me is going for walks in our local area. There is much rural beauty nearby and there is delight to be found, too, in the surrounding streets. I feel happy when I am walking because the world magically opens up when we look more closely at things.

A layer of ice

Many of the people who are also out walking seem very friendly and respond warmly to a smile and a wave or a hello. On the other hand, quite a few pass by without acknowledging anyone else. Instead of warmth, it is as though there is a glaze of ice, a certain aloofness. There are many reasons why that may be and, after all, any of us can be a little withdrawn or grumpy sometimes.

More important than the response of passers-by to each other, though, is the general human trait of indifference towards those we don’t know, whether individuals or a group. We can often fail to see the light in another person and miss so much. And the reason isn’t somewhere out there; it’s inside, in our own minds.

If it’s in the mind, fix the mind

Indifference is something we urgently need to fix because it results in an absence of joy, of love and a lack of positive action. It is the cause of all apathy. I was once given a piece of advice that, when you see a stranger, to imagine you once knew him or her very well. Imagine that some time in the past, you had a very close connection, now forgotten, when they showed you great kindness. This simple mental adjustment can begin to expand the mind and tickle the heart, melting any ice that may be lingering.

It’s wise not to speak of it because it is an inner practice but, make no mistake, this little technique is very profound if we make it a habit.

Thank you for reading this. Sadly, no courses will be running until circumstances permit. May you have a joyful Christmas season and a happy and healthy new year. Andrew

Related posts:

  1. Something to smile about
  2. Looking for light is vital for our future
  3. Love: why cosmic glue stops us falling apart
  4. How to live softly with ease and help the planet

If home is where the heart is, we must learn to be there

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Just a few days, and for other countries a few weeks. That’s all it has taken for our world to be turned upside down and inside out. While key services are working flat out, most of the rest of us are at home. That can be a challenge. Like many, if not most, I must confess initially to having had a slight dread of being confined for any length of time. But I very quickly learnt that accepting instead of resisting was not only vital but could bring a great sense of peace – Yin soothing Yang.

Too much Yang requires Yin

The world has been fixated on the generation of power and wealth, whether financial or otherwise, for a very long time. This is an expression of Yang – outward movement and growth. Yin – the opposite – is just as necessary. Humanity cannot expand its activities and relentlessly seek to satisfy its desires forever. We know that if we exhaust our own body and don’t rest, we get sick. Humanity has pushed Nature, of which we are an integral part, too far and for too long, making her and us sick.

Restrictions are Yin

Some people think that Yang is strength whilst Yin is weak. Not so. Our very roots into the Earth are Yin. Foundations are the source of strength. (Try pushing over a good taiji player who is rooted.) Restrictions on our movement and social gathering are like medicine. Though we would rather not have them, we know they are necessary. Being confined to our homes for a while is like a compassionate lesson from Mother Earth – learning to be at home on the planet responsibly. It’s time for her children to grow up.

Keeping healthy with Shibashi

Qigong can help keep the body in balance and a good set of Qigong movements is Shibashi. It reinvigorates and strengthens the body, supporting the immune system and very good for the lungs. Here is a free video originally prepared for our tai chi class but that can be followed fairly easily by anyone.

Can’t settle? Take a look at The Art of Not Doing .

Take care and stay safe.

Related posts:

  1. Something to smile about
  2. Chaos? Yes, but there is a way out of this
  3. Clarity: why it’s a vital antidote to this mad world
  4. World peace is fragile – it’s no joke but we can all help

Being happy: why we should choose to flick the switch

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HappinessBeing happy is really rather good. Have you noticed (well, of course you have) that when we are happy, life seems so much lighter? It is also really rather good to be in the company of people who are lighter in spirit. Lightness can be catching. Unlike winter lurgies, happiness is a wonderful infection to pass on. Feel free to pass on your lightness! Indeed, let’s lift the cloak of gravitas that hangs heavily over so much of life today! We need inspiration, not gloom; but what can we do about it?

Being happy: is it a matter of choice or fortune?

We cannot solve the problems of the world, nor can we necessarily change many of the things that affect us, such as health and living conditions. What we do have control over is how we respond internally . When we are feeling down or serious about life, our internal energy takes a bit of a nosedive. Our emotions are very much affected by our energy or Qi; in turn, our Qi is influenced by our state of mind and our consciousness. This is where choice comes in.

Choose to look on the bright side and sow seeds of happiness

Looking on the bright side is not to be unrealistically optimistic but to realise that good can come out of anything. It really is like turning the light on. I sometimes imagine that there is a switch in the heart energy centre. To throw it from dark mode to light relies simply on intention. The significance of this little mental step is that our energy immediately becomes lighter. Energy follows intent. There is a very deep truth in this. We don’t need to analyse, though; just do it. And who knows? Make it a habit and we could well start off an epidemic.

The Great Little Book of Happiness is filled with tips on what we can do to improve our happiness and sense of wellbeing.

Energy circulation meditation 

Related posts:

  1. Diet: the Vegans may have landed but don’t lose the feeling
  2. Seeds of happiness – sowing the greatest investment
  3. Be rooted again: how a simple trick enhances life and wellbeing
  4. Seasons and ageing: the life-enhancing secret of Nature

Seasons and ageing: the life-enhancing secret of Nature

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Seasons autumn leavesSeasons are wonderful. They are like a gift that can teach us so much, not only about the world around us but ourselves, too. The optimist embraces the change of the seasons and our culture has always recognised the significance of the equinoxes and solstices in the annual cycle.

Seasons are Nature’s rhythm, so let’s dance

Often, we associate November with gloom and dampness but this year in the UK, Nature is particularly glorious. Thanks to the hot summer, the colours of the leaves on the trees are now spectacular. Is this a hint that if we live a full life, our own autumn will be colourful? Perhaps not necessarily for all, but it does indicate how deeply the past affects the present. Always living fully in the present enhances not just life today but our future, too. For the pessimist, spring is too wet, summer too hot, autumn miserable and winter just too cold to be mentioned – life is just shades of grey. But if we embrace all seasons, both Mother Nature’s and our own, life will be like a kaleidoscope – a continuous play of colour and rhythm.

Seasons hang in thereDon’t resist – hang in there and enjoy the ride

As our individual life goes through its phases, it is easy to see the correspondence with the seasons outside. The spring of youth and the summer of adulthood are full of energy. Seeking to prolong them is perfectly understandable. Knowing that these periods won’t last, people have been looking for the secret of eternal youth since time immemorial. Who can blame them? But internally we create resistance and interfere with the flow of energy through us. Instead of being happy with life, there is a cloud of dissatisfaction lurking in our hearts. In tai chi, which should be an effortless flow, our teachers will always find the knots of resistance in us. Gradually we learn to let go and practice becomes easier. The same applies in life. Outside, enjoy the seasons; inside, welcome the present with an open heart.

Much more on living in tune with life cycles is in The Great Little Book of Happiness.

Related posts:

  1. Longevity: seven secrets of ageing gracefully
  2. Be rooted again: how a simple trick enhances life and wellbeing
  3. Mortality: why our own impermanence is such a wonderful gift
  4. Movement: why listening to our body is vital for health